Trustees intend to decide on PUD rules in January

The budget has money for a new administration building.
CANFIELD -- Trustees will decide next month whether to pass changes to zoning rules for planned unit developments.
The PUDs, which conserve land by allowing more housing units to be built on less of it, are attractive to empty-nesters looking to downsize their homes and yardwork. But they've proved controversial in the two years they've been allowed in the township, because residents don't like the developments near their traditional, single-family homes.
A yearlong moratorium on PUDs is in effect until June.
At a hearing before its regular meeting Monday, the board reviewed the changes for residents and developers.
It was the second such meeting this month. The first was a zoning panel hearing Dec. 7. Trustees will take 20 days to consider recommendations from the Monday hearing. They intend to make a decision Jan. 2.
Some of the changes include requiring more green space, a size cap of 15 acres, and deeper setbacks, with 50 feet now required between a PUD and other property.
Developers at the hearing Monday said they hoped trustees would allow them to finish plans already started under old PUD zoning. Trustee chairman Bill Reese said the rules should not change for ongoing projects, only new ones.
Other action
At their regular meeting, trustees approved the 2007 budget. General fund appropriations are 2,627,200, compared with 1,329,350 last year. There is 1.2 million set aside this year for a new township administration building, said fiscal officer Carmen Heasley. The township is planning to build it on park land it bought on Herbert Road.
Trustees also voted to fund half the Canfield Local Schools' resource officer, who is provided by the Canfield city police department. The township will pay 35,000, said trustee Paul Moracco. A grant that funded the officer is expired.